Radiator core and shell assembly



May 2:, 1933. A. F. IHDE RADIATOR CORE AND SHELL ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 8,193

Auguw F. 1M

\ \WIH u Patented May 2, 1933 AUGUST 13. IHDE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK,ASSEGNOR TO FEDDERS MANUFACTURING GGMEANY, INC., 01* BUFFALO, NEW YORKRADIATOR 063E AND SHELL ASSEMBLY Application filed January 8, 1931.Serial No. 507,488.

This invention relates to radiator assemblies and means for mountingthem, and particularly to an improved means for assov ciating theradiator core and radiator shell of a motor vehicle for mounting uponthe chassis.

Radiators adapted to cool the cooling water of vehicle engines arecustomarily mounted upon the forward portions of the vehicle chassis, infront of the engines. Such radiators usually comprise a water coolingunit, a shell for covering the sides of the.

radiator and for imparting a finished appear ance to the assembly, and astrap or side wall member for unifying and strengthening the coolingunit and for associating or connecting the cooling unit to the shell.The shell may also function to support the forward portion of the hoodwhich covers the engine.

In certain radiator constructions the core is resiliently mounted uponthe vehicle frame and, through the strap or side members, serves tosupport the shell. In other constructions the shell is mounted upon thevehicle frame and supports the core and saddle, the core being withoutdirect connection to the frame.

This invention comprehends an improved means for associating the coreand shell in either of these types of construction. Essentially themeans comprises a strip of metal, undulated to strengthen and to adaptit to the contour of the surfaces of the radiator shell and the coreside member with which it contacts. The undulated reinforcing means maybe formed of a single strip of straight metal with a minimum distortionof the metal, the lines of bending being so arranged that the strip maybe shaped, by bending, to the desired form without undue elongation orupsetting of the metal. This results in a lowered cost of production ofthe reinforcing strip from straight strips of standard, light gaugestrap or sheet metal as it permits of the use of light and inexpensivetools and dies. T he completed core and shell assembly is of maximumstrength as the metal of the reinforcing strip is substantiallyundistorted, except for the bending, and retains substantially itsoriginal strength.

Stress reducng sections are also contemplated which may cooperate withthe subtantially undulated contour of the associating strip to reducerelative angular movement of the various faces of the strip, or stressestending to produce such angular movement, when loads are imposed uponit. Means may also be provided upon the associating strip whereby thebolts which may serve to attach the shell to he strip may be countersunkin the shell in order that the engine hood may have a plane seat againstthe shell.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of typical em-- bodimentsof the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1is a perspective View showing the side wall reinforcing and mountingstrip of the present invention in one type of radiator core assembly;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view showing the side wallreinforcing and mounting strip in assembled relation with the radiatorcore, including the side wall, and radiator covering shell;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the reinforcing andmounting strip;

Fig. 4c is a plan view of the blank from which the associating orreinforcing and mounting strip is formed, the lines along which theblank is bent to form the completed strip being indicated by brokenlines; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified assembly ofradiator and radiator mounting, and radiator shell mountingmeansincorporating the reinforcing and mounting strip.

The core assembly shown in Fig. 1 is of the type adapted to be supportedby a shell which mounted upon the vehicle frame, as dis 'nguished for anassembly wherein the core, or the side members attached thereto, supportthe shell. The core comprises an upper water tank 10, a lower tank 11and an intermediate cooling portion 12. Extending along each Verticalside edge of thecooling portion 12 is a side member 13, which may haveflanges 14 extending over the front and rear faces of the portion 12,and which may have inwardly turned portions 15 permanently connected, asby soldering, riveting or the like, to the upper and lower tanks 10, 11.

The radiator shell, indicated at 16 in Fig. 2, may be secured to thevehicle chassis in any desired manner, and comprises a casing whichsubstantially envelopes the periphery or side edge and top of the core.It may be provided with a forward, inwardly directed flange 17, adaptedto overlie the edge portions of the front core surface, and a rearwardlydirected flange 18, recessed at 19, to seat and support the forward edgeof the motor covering hood of the vehicle (not shown).

The reinforcing member 21 is attached to the side wall member 13 and isconnected to the rearward shell portion for associating the core andshell. In the form shown in Fig. 1 the member 21 serves to support thecore, the shell 16, which may be of light gauge sheet metal, serving asa resilient cushion for absorbing violent road shocks and vibrations inthe vehicle frame which might otherwise be transmitted to the core.

Member 21 may be formed of a blank of strap metal as shown in Fig. 4 bybending upon lines approximated by the dotted lines indicated on thedrawing. The formed strip has a plurality of spaced co-planar sectionsformed by bending the blank upon the lines 22. The outer of thesesections 23 and the surfaces 2%, between adjacent lines of bend 22 maybe of rectangular shape as illustrated or they may be of other shape,such as trapezoidal. Between the sections 23, 24: and spaced laterallytherefrom as in Fig. 2, are a plurality of substantially co-planarsections located between lines of bend 25, these sections beingdesignated at 26. Connecting the sections 23, 26 and 2a, 26 are aplurality of sections, angularly related to the sections 23, 24 and 26,and designated 27.

As it is desirable that the flange portion 18 of the shell be angularlyrelated to the side wall of the core in plan, as shown in Fig. 2, inorder to properly seat the forwardly converging side walls of the enginehood, the sections 26 of the strip, which lie adjacent the flangeportion 18 of the shell, are disposed in a plane at the substantialangle to the plane of sections 23, 24-, this being illustrated best inFig. 2. In order to permit of the forming of the strip from a single,straight blank of strap metal, or ribbbon of sheet metal, and at thesame time form the strip without unduly distorting the metal of theblank, the lines of bend have been angularly disposed relative to oneanother as shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the sections 23, 27,26 and are complementary so that the total of the linear dimensions ofthe sections on one side of the strip equals the total of the lineardimensions of the sections on the opposite side of the strip, while thedistance of lateral displacement of the sections 26 from the sections 2&is considerably greater at one side of the strip than at the oppositeside thereof.

It will also be noted in Figs. 1 and t that this distance ofdisplacement is greater at one end of the strip than at the other endthereof, due to the greater mean length of the sections 27 at one en dof the strip than at the opposite end thereof. This feature of formationmay be resorted to when it is necessary or desirable to have theopposite side walls of the shell, as viewed from the front, converge ordiverge from top to bottom.

In order to allow the outer surfaces of the flange portions 18 of theshell to present a continuous, substantially plane surface for contactwith the engine hood, it may be desirable to countersink the heads ofthe bolts which connect the shell and associating strip. The sections 26of the strip may be recessed as at 29 to provide space for thecountersunk portions 31 of the flange portion, the strip contacting theshell along the ridged edges 32 of sections 26.

In order to facilitate the proper alignment of the mounting strip forwelding or other securement to the side wall 13, and to in crease theeffectiveness of the mounting of shell and core, aligning beads 33,spaced :1 distance equal to the width of the mounting strip, may beformed longitudinally of the side wall.

The wall members 13 are in addition each formed with. a longitudinalraised bead 01' rib 34;, which serves both as a reinforcement and as amounting means for complementary reinforcing ribs or beads 35 formed onthe sections 23, 24c of the members 21. By means of this arrangement ofreinforcing portions, the members 13 and 21 are not only easilyassembled in proper relation, but. subsequent to the connectingoperation, are integrated so that excessive loads are directed to anddistributed over the rib portions.

In the modified construction depicted in Fig. 5, the core is supportedby a saddle comprising portions 40 adapted for attachment to a vehicleframe, and a central portion 41 for seating the bottom tank 11 of thecore. The sides of the saddle comprise upwardly eX- tended portions 42of the bottom strap and the side wall members 13 which are secured tothe portions 42. lie adjacent to the side edges of the cooling portion12 and are connected to the upper water tank. In this form ofconstruction the radiator shell may be supported by the side walls 13,without direct connection between the vehicle frame and the shell. Aside wall reinforcing and shell associating strip 21, of formsubstantially like that depicted at 21 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, may beattached to the side wall 13 for supporting the shell.

The side wall members It will now be understood that the presentinvention provides an improved means for associating the shell and coreof a vehicle radiator assembly. The reinforcing and mounting strips maybe economically formed of straight, light ribbons or straps of metal,which may, in accordance with the teachings hereindisclosed, be formedof the desired contour to properly engage both the shell and corewithout undue change in the molecular relationship of the strip metal.The shell contacting faces of the strips may have recessed facesproduced by a bendin operation to provide for proper engagement with thecountersunk surface of the shell. Beads may be formed on the side wallsof the core for aiding in the alignment and retention in alignment ofthe strip upon the side wall, and for cooperating to preventdisplacement, under conditions of great stress, of the interconnectedportions of these members. The walls 18 of the shell, the side walls ofthe core, and the strip 21 cooperate to form a unitary protectiveassembly, trussed by the an ular strip sections 27, along the side edgesof the core.

it will further be understood that the illustrated and describedembodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention;that certain ones or all of these principles may be employed in otherstructures of a similar nature; and that the invention is accordingly tobe limited in scope only as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A radiator assembly including a core and a shell, the core havingside wall spaced from side wall of the shell, and an elongated memberextending between and associating said side walls, said member havinglongitudinally spaced sections abutting said core wall, longitudinallyspaced sections abutting said shell wall, and connecting sections ioning said spaced sections abutting the core wall to the spaced sectionsabutting the shell wall, and certain of said spaced sections beingformed with ribs extending longit dinally of the member and cooperatingtherewith to retain said sections in substantially fixed relation.

2. An assembly comprising a radiator core and shell each having a sidewall, said side walls being spaced, a member extending be tween saidside walls for associating them, said member comprising section abut oneof said side walls, section disposed a each end of said first mentionedsection in and connecting sections joining ea said first mentionedsection to an end of one second mentioned section and at least one ofsaid sections being provided with a rib extending longitudinally of themember and cooperating with adjacent sections to retain the sections insubstantially fixed relation.

3. An assembly comprising a radiator core and shell each having a sidewall, said side walls being spaced, a member disposed. be tween andsecured to said side walls, said member comprising a section abuttingone of said side walls, a second section at each end of said firstmentioned section abutting the other of said side wads, and connectingsections joining each end of said first mentioned section to an end ofone second mentioned section, least one of said first two mentionedsections having a rib extending longitudinally of the member andcooperating with the adjacent connecti section to retain the sections insubstantially fixed relation, and the side wall abut ed by the sectionwhich has the rib havin a formation interfitting with a portion or thesaid rib.

4. A radiator assembly inclucing core and a shell in which he side wallsof the core are spaced from the sine walls of the shell, and anelongated member extending between and associating said side walls, saidmemb r having spaced sections abutting said core walls, spaced sectionsabutting said shell walls, and connecting sections joining said spacedsections abut-Leg the core walls to the spaced sections abutting theshell walls, at least some of the spaced sections abutting said cor-cwalls having ribs extending longitudinally of the member and cooperatingwith the adjacent connecting sections to re tain the sections insubstantially fixed relation, and the side walls of the core havinglongitudinal beads for interfitting with portions of said ribs.

5. A radiator assembly including a shell having a side wall providedwith countersunk apertures for receiving fasteners, a core having a sidewall spaced from the side wall of the shell, and a strip for associatingsaid side walls, said strip comprising spaced sections secured inabutting relation to said core side wall, spaced sections between saidfirst mentioned spaced sections and abutting the side walls of theshell, and connecting sections joining the ends of the first and secondmentioned sections, said second mentioned sections having recesses forreceiving the countersunk portions of the side wall of the shell.

6. An associating strip for a radiator shell and core comprising a striphaving a plurality of spaced co-planar sections, a plurality ofco-planar intermediate sections ofi'set laterally and in inclinedrelation to the plane of the first mentioned sections, said intermediatesections having a greater longitudinal dimension at one side of thestrip than at the other side, and other sections joining the ends of thefirst mentioned sections with the ends of the intermediate sections,said other sections having a greater longitudinal dimension at one sideof the strip than at the other side, the side of the strip having thegreater longitudinal dimension along the intermediate sections havingthe lesser longitudinal dimension along the adjacent said othersections.

7 An associating strip for a radiator shell and core comprising a striphaving a plurality of co-planar spaced sections, a plurality ofintermediate sections ofiset relatiye to said first mentioned sections,and connecting sections joining the ends of said intermediate sectionswith the adjacent ends of adjacent first mentioned sections, saidintermediate and connecting sections having opposite sides of unequallength in complementary relation to each other and to said firstmentioned sections, whereby the total linear length of all of saidsections is equal at opposite sides of said strip.

8. A radiator assembly comprising a shell member and core member, saidmembers having walls that are spaced and angularly related, and a stripfor joining said walls having spaced sections abutting a wall of one ofsaid members, an intermediate section abutting a wall of the other ofsaid members, and connecting sections between and joining the adjacentends of said first and second men tioned sections, said connectingsections and at least some of the other of said sections having oppositesides of unequal length arranged in complementary relation with eachother, whereby the total length of all of said sections is equal atopposite sides of said strip.

9. In a radiator assembly, a core, ashell surrounding said core inspaced relation to the walls thereof, one of the walls of said corebeing formed with spaced raised portions, an elongated connecting memberhaving a plurality of sections abutting said core wall between theraised portions thereof and formed with laterally ofi'set sectionsabutting the adjacent wall of the shell, said core wall, between theraised portions thereof, and said first sections of the elongatedmember, being formed with complementary interfitting portions.

10. In a radiator assembly, a core, a shell surrounding said core inspaced relation to the walls thereof, an elongated connecting memberinterposed therebetween and associating adjacent walls of the core andshell, said member being formed with spaced sections abutting one wallof the core, spaced sections between the first sections abutting anadjacent wall of the shell, and connecting sections joining he ends ofthe first and second sections, said first sections and said core wallbeing formed with complementary intel-fitting portions.

AUGUST F. IHDE.

